Older adults: demographics and need for quality care

The elderly are becoming important consumers of dental care because of several factors. These include (1) decreasing caries rates among children and young adults, (2) increasing numbers of older adults in the population, (3) increasing retention of natural teeth by the elderly, (4) increasing prevalence of coronal and root surface caries associated with advanced age, (5) large unmet need for prosthodontic care projected for coming years, and (6) significant disposable income available to many older persons. This article reviews the importance to dentists of physiologic and pathologic changes associated with aging and the need for developed diagnostic and clinical skills in providing dental care.